Field



HENRY c. BULL SLB. BLOOMHELD.

eet-Cars.

Apparatus for Propellin g Str 327 Patented Marchs, 1872.

JNVENfzjUBS Y HENRY C. BULL AND BENJAMIN BLOOMFIELD, 'OF NEW ORLEANS, LA.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING STREET-CARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 124,327, dated March 5,1872.

We, HENRY C. BULL and BENJAMIN BLooar- FIELD, both of New Orleans, Orleans county, Louisiana, have invented an Improved Apparatus for Propelling Street-Gars, of which the following is a specification:

Our invention relates to an improved appa ratus whereby street-cars and similar vehicles can be propelled either forward or backward at any desired speed, or stopped at a moments notice, without checking or reversing the engine, which latter is continuously in motion; and the manner in which we accomplish this result will be hereinafter fully described.

Figure l is a partiallysectionizcd elevation of the front portion of a street-car provided with our improved propelling apparatus. Fig. 2 is a plan of the gearing.

A represents a street or other car, and B is the front platform thereof, upon which latter are mounted the boiler or generator G and the engine D. The Ymotor l) may be operated either by steam, compressed air, hot air, or any other suitable agent. Vhichever is employed, it is desired that the engine is preferably constructed upon what is known as the trunk pattern, in order to economize space. The piston-rod d of this trunk-engine is connected to a. spur-wheel, E, either by a wrist-pin, e, or crank F, as may be found most advantageous. The spur-wheel E gears with a pinion, G, upon shaft H, to whose outer end is secured a solid disk or ily-wheel, I. J is a friction-pulley, whose periphery bears against the outer face 'of disk I, and this pulley has attached to it a clutch, K, from which a link, L, extends to a lever, M, within easy reach of the driver. This friction-pulley, together with its clutch, is mounted upon a counter-shaft, N, which runs longitudinally of the car, and a feather, u, upon said shaft causes the latter to have a simultaneous rotation with pulley J. Secured to the rear end of counter-shaft M is a worm, O, that gears with a suitable wheel, P, the latter being keyed to the front axle R of the car or other vehicle.V The worm O and wheel P rotate within a box, S, by which means'these parts of the apparatus are protected from dust,

' Ste., and, by partially llin g said box with oil,

the worm and wheel will be constantly and thoroughly lubricated. The lever M is fulcrumed at b to the platform B, and said lever has a customary catch or pawl, m, which is adapted to engage with the segmentrack T.

The apparatus operates in the following manner: As shown in Fig. l, the car is supposed to be running forward, and it will be seen that the lever M is thrown back as far as it can go, which position of said lever maintains the pulley J in contact with the disk I and near the rear edge of the latter.- In this position of the various parts of the apparatus the drivingwheel U is rotated from the engine D through the medium of pitman (1,-wrist e, spur-wheel E, pinion G, shaft H, disk I, pulley J K, shaft N u, and gearing O P. In case it should be desired to stop the car, it can be accomplished. in a moment by simply bringing the lever M to the erect position indicated by dotted lines, which act shifts the pulley J forward upon the countershaft N until it is brought directly opposite the center of the disk I. \Vhen thus f shifted, no motion whatever is imparted to the pulley J, and, consequently, the shaft N ceases to rotate'a11d the car stops. To reverse the car, the lever is shifted so as to move the pulleyJ forward of the center of disk I; and the speed of the car is regulated by adjusting said pulley toward or away from the center of the disk.

One great advantage peculiar to our propelling apparatus consists in the fact that the engine always runs in one direction and at a uniform speed, no matter how slow or how fast the car is traveling, or whether it is standing still or in motion.

Bevel-gearin g may be substituted for the worm O and wheel l. e

Claim.

YVe claim as our invention- A street-car propellin g apparatus, consisting of a motor, D d, spur-wheel E c, pinion G, shaft H, disk I, adjustable friction-pulley J K, shifting mechanism L M m T, counter-shaft N a, and gearing O P, or their equivalent, when arranged substantially as herein described, and adapted to operate in the manner set forth.

In testimony of which invention we hereunto set our' hand.

HENRY C. BULL, BENJAMIN BLOOMFIEED.

Attest:

GEO. H. KNIGHT, W. J. CASTELL. 

